Dark Hunters

Chapter 1

None of this was supposed to happen this way. Well, I mean, some of it was supposed to happen, like the trip itself, but everything else. Yeah, that wasn't supposed to happen AT ALL.

Okay, let me start this over from the beginning, simple enough, right? I just introduce myself and the reason for this adventure, or maybe I should put misadventure, because yeah, not supposed to happen.

My name is Alison Porter, I'm a mother of three beautiful teenagers and THIS is supposed to be my vacation. The first time in years that I've been able to make some sort of trip without them, not that I would ever not want to take them places, but this was going to be one for the record books. The first time I was meeting a friend, Danni Danvers, in person, the first trip to Oklahoma, and the very first 22 hour road trip that I was taking alone.

See, right there you're probably thinking that I just pulled the dumbest stunt in the world because what woman with three teenagers take that long of a road trip alone. One that is usually well prepared for everything, including what might happen next. I always had a contingency plan, some way to get around any little potholes in the road, but this…this was totally unexpected. So, now you know about me, all five foot nothing, 120 pounds of me, at least for the most part, but the rest of knowing me will come later.

Onto the real story.

8:43 pm, somewhere in the vicinity of West Jefferson, Ohio, about 733 miles away from my destination, and twelve hours into the trip. I had stopped for the night, gotten a hotel room at the local Holiday Inn Express, and made my way over to the Waffle House restaurant for something to eat, not exactly the place that I thought this "Vacation" would start to go wonky but things have happened in stranger places.

I sat down in a booth, made myself comfortable and ordered a coffee, while I grabbed my phone and decided that I was going to give everyone an update. Mom, Danni (my Oklahoma Sister who I was on my way to meet), my kids and Kathy (my Massachusetts sister who happened to have my kids). With everyone up-to-date and a nice cup of Joe in front of me, I chanced a look around. At this time of night there wasn't many people with kids, in fact there weren't any children in the building what-so-ever, not odd but definitely something that caught my attention. Stored that information for later as I continued to look around.

There were several men at the bar, truckers from what I could gather, since there were just as many there as there were rigs outside. There were a few couples, probably two of them, mainly just chatting away happily and then there were the two guys in the back of the place. One dressed in a dark suit, with wispy, unruly hair brown hair sat with his back to me, his laptop open on the table, and that was all that I could see from where I sat in my own little corner booth.

Other man at the table was facing me head on and while he looked at bit beaten down, there was definitely fire in his green eyes with his scruffy look about him. He needed a good shave, some sleep and to lay off the sauce, which was probably why he was pounding down the coffees.

I couldn't help but feel some familiarity towards him as I watched. His hair, dirty blond to brown, whichever way the light decided to reflect off from it, was shaved not too close to his head, but the top seemed to stick out and up, giving him a wild look about him.

His clothes were normal, a dark tee-shirt under an open solid flannel, something else that struck me as familiar, but he had a black bracelet around his wrist, one that caught my eyes as well. I was curious about this one. He had a youthfulness to his face that seemed to throw me off his age, but as he let out a deep breath, turned to look out the window and raised his cup up to his lips, I could see the bruises along his jawline. This one had been in a fight, and pretty recently.

He turned to look back at the one across from him, but caught my eyes as he shut whatever he was about to say behind closed lips. His eyes connected with mine, stared for a moment, as the corner of his lip turned up and instantly I could feel the blush rise in my cheeks. I cleared my throat and looked up at the waitress who had arrived just in time to save my ass.

With a glance back at the man down the row, I ordered a stack of pancakes and some bacon, all the while watching as he never seemed to let go of the hold he had on me. It was a weird, creepy feeling but I know something was up. Dammit, hello woman alone on a trip, this was not the attention I needed.

I turned in my seat, placing my back towards the windows, rolled my jacket up as padding, and pulled my legs up on the cushion and tried my damnedest to concentrate on the small tablet I had brought in with me. I picked at the food that was set down on the table, relished the cup of coffee that the waitress kept hot and filled but nothing seemed to distract me from the man who was staring me down.

The one with his back to me finally turned, trying to figure out what his partner was so distracted with and I found myself staring at this one too. His face was unique, definitely held qualities that I recognized from somewhere, and his ever changing eyes matched the vibrant mix of emotions that could be clearly seen on his face, emotions that told me one specific thing. I had just butted into a shit-storm waiting to happen.

Trying my best to keep myself occupied as I finished up what I was eating, and also hatch a plan that would give me the best way to get back to the hotel without being seen, I searched through my browser to find the fastest route, and it kept me from looking up and catching the eyes that I could feel on me.

I watched as they stood, both at the same time, the one in the suit grabbed the laptop, the one with the green eyes dropped a couple bills on the table and I realized just how tall both of them were. Six foot plus on both of them, but it was weird to see the one who had his back to me. He looked down as he collected his coat, his eyes glancing sideways in my direction, and I watched an apologetic smile cross his lips, which was weird because I was the one caught staring.

His partner seemed to have no inhibition about locking eye contact and as they headed out the door, the green eyed one gave me a very well placed grin that told me if he had his way I would be going home with him. I narrowed my eyes, and watched that grin turn into a wide smile, as if he had met his match and slowly he stepped out the door.

I turned in the seat, looked down at the rest of my dinner/breakfast and sighed, but that was when I heard it, the familiar sound of a car starting up. The rumble was low, but the tone was just this side of "what the hell" because I should have been able to recognize it anywhere. I slid closer to the window, just enough so that I could see the headlights of the 1967 black Impala light up the front of the diner.

My eyes wide as the green-eyed one backed her out of the parking spot and turned it in my direction. I sat back in the seat but still watched as the car turned and his partner stared up at me through the window as they passed by.

NO…WAY…IN…HELL was I actually seeing what I thought I was! There was no way! Not two men, not both over six foot, not both looking exactly like I would have imagined them in real life, and certainly not driving a damned IMPALA! Did I just step into the Twilight Zone, because I was pretty sure it was either that or someone seriously roofied my coffee.

I pulled out the phone, pulling the same stunt that the green-eyed one did by putting the bills down on the table as I slipped on my jacket. With a quick pace, I grabbed my tablet, felt for the hotel keys in my pocket and hustled my ass back to the room, which was less than a two minute walk to the hotel. The phone rang against my ear as I held it with my shoulder and messed with the key, but that was when I saw it and I stopped. Key in one hand, phone suddenly propped up in the other.

That freaking IMPALA was parked three spaces down from me. The door opened to a room not all that far way and I watched as the taller of the two, the one who had been in the suit stepped out, now in a tight fitting tee and jeans. He stopped under the light and counted the bills in his hands, his hair came down and masked his eyes, even as I made out the profile of his face.

I was dumbstruck! I mean I was literally standing there with my mouth open, keys in one hand and the forgotten phone call in the other, until of course, Danni yelled in my ear, which caused me to drop the keys, squeak in surprise and catch HIS attention.

He turned towards me and I tucked my head down, trying to fumble with the key again, but I noticed the broad shape of his chest, the strength of his arms and the way he filled out that shirt and those blue jeans nicely. He titled his head just a little as I finally was able to open the door and I watched his brow crease but a smile play on his lips, as I gave him a quick grin back and disappeared into the darkness of my room, closing the door tightly behind me.

"Are you okay?" Danni asked for maybe the twentieth time. I leaned my back against the door but peaked out the curtain as the man stood by the soda machine, one arm out bracing himself as he looked over his choices.

"Um, I don't think so!" I wanted to laugh because this was INSANE and not even just a little.

"What? What's going on? Are you okay, are you safe?" Danni rattled of as I watched the man slip the bills into the machine. How the hell was that so damn sexy? And why the hell was I caring. I moved away from the wall, setting the keys down on the table as I went and made sure that my room was set, the large knife was tucked under my bed and the pocket knife I cared was on the night stand.

"I'm fine, but I'm stuck in an episode of…of…I don't even know what the hell of!" I snapped and moved quietly back towards the window as I heard the door close. "Dan, I swear to God, I just saw Sam and Dean."

"Okay, what the hell are you smoking?" She laughed, because who wouldn't when your friend tells you that you've just spotted the characters in your favorite show, not the actors that portray them, but the CHARACTERS!

I ran my hand through my hair, switched on the light by the table and sat down. There was no real way to explain it, no true way to actually get the words out of my mouth, so I just sighed. Maybe it had been just a coincidence, maybe I had really just imagined that the men in the room looked like Sam and Dean Winchester, but that car, I knew that car anywhere.

"You need to go to sleep, you've been on the road all day, just go to bed and I'll see you tomorrow." Danni sighed.

"Yeah, that sounds like a great idea." I whispered back and let my eyes close as I slouched down in the chair. I really did need to get some sleep, another ten hours on the road for tomorrow and I was already dead tired. "I'm gonna grab a shower and then I'll head to bed."

"Make sure you do that." She sighed and I smiled as she disconnected the call.

With one last look out the window, and no one out there but that car, I made my way over to the bag, grabbed my night stuff and headed towards the bathroom. That was when I heard it, the slight knock at the door. I paused, listened to it come again, and cleared my throat.

"Just a minute," I answered.

STUPID! STUPID IDEA!

Tucked up under the mattress was a small spectrum blade about seven inches long and with it placed up tight in my hand, hiding against my back, I braced my foot against the door, peaked out he hole and did a double take. The taller one was standing outside looking antsy as hell, but he reached out and knocked again.

I unbolted the door and opened it slowly, but the lock caught and gave me only about two inches to see him, even with the knife in a ready position.

"Hey," he said with a soft voice and a sly smile, "I'm sorry to bother you, but my brother and I saw you at the diner."

"Yeah, I remember." I replied, curious as to what he was getting at.

"You know you have a headlight out, right?" He smiled and I watched his whole body ease, which in turn made me relax just a bit.

"Oh," I sighed and ran a hand nervously through my hair, pushing it back from my eyes. "Um, thanks, I guess I'll have to take care of it in the morning." I nodded and watched as he smiled shyly again, nodded and waved as he left my door. Quickly, I closed and locked it behind me, flipping the handle of the knife in my hand as I tucked it back between the mattress and headed for the bathroom. "Headlight, yeah, okay!"

It couldn't have been more than three hours later, somewhere just past one that the loud sound of a door slamming woke me from a broken sleep. I adjusted to the strange position on the bed, and looked around my dark room, the only light coming from the light outside the door.

I blinked a few times, trying to figure out just what was going on and that was when I heard it again, the loud thump of a door, or something against the walls. But the slam against my own was what really had me on my feet, with the spectrum blade pulled from the confines of the mattress. I was at the window before I knew what I was doing.

I could almost see out into the darkness as the light above my door suddenly began to flicker and something flew through the glass panel window. I ducked, covered what I could of my bare arms, yeah, so glad I decided to wear the pants to bed instead of getting "house" comfortable but I could still feel the shards hit my skin.

What the hell was that?

I could hear the grunting of a person, a real person, and I looked over to see the taller of the two from down the hall lying on the floor in my room. In his hand was a large knife, but it was the blood that seeped through his shirt that had me scurrying over. He looked up at me in pain, but pressed his hand to his side and rolled over.

"You shouldn't move." I snapped and watched his eyes stare at me, but that was when I noticed he was staring PAST me. He grabbed me by the shirt, his large hands nearly ripping me down and he rolled over me as he swung the blade.

I stared up at him as he got to his knees, his blade buried deep into the stomach of the man... creature… whatever the hell it was that was bearing its huge fangs at my "hero". But I could see his strength was giving out and not quite sure what I was thinking, I jumped to my feet and swung.

My knife cut deep but not deep enough as the creature lashed out, scratching across my arm and then I watched the smile disappear from its face as the blade from behind came sailing through, detaching its head from its shoulders.

I looked down at the man before me, watched him slip his knife back out of the monster's abdomen and then my eyes moved up to the green-eyed one who stood breathlessly holding another bloody machete as they body dropped to the floor.

I reached down, dropping the knife, and placed both hands on the man in front of me as he went to brace himself up with one arm, and the other pressed against the wound.

"Sammy?" My eyes snapped up at the man who was standing. NO FREAKING WAY! That was it, instinct kicked in and I went on autopilot, knelling down before him.

"Sam?" I questioned, getting his blue-green eyes to focus on me. "You need to lay back, okay? Let me check this out." He leaned back on his heels but moved to shuffle over to brace against the bed. "No, hon, you have to lie down."

He groaned at me, reached out and snatched my wrist, looking over the red scratches that marred my skin.

"You're bleeding," he whispered and his voice sang in my ears.

"Yeah," I said and smiled, pushing his hair back as I gave his shoulder a nudge, watching him make his way down to the spot on the carpet that wasn't cover in glass, "how about that?"

"You swung," he said, full of surprise.

"Reaction, that's all. Now lay still." I lifted his shirt and watched the blood seep from the wound, not deep but definitely in need of stitches. "Okay, hot stuff, just wait here."

I stood, and turned to the other man in the room, giving a stare as if to ask if I really needed to tell him what to do before I walked towards the bathroom. I shook my head when I heard "Sam" call the green-eyed one "Dean". There was no way in hell that this was happening.

I grabbed the towels, both the hand and the scrawny bath one and walked out towards them. Dean watched me, as I placed the smaller of the two, folded in half, against Sam's wound, then took Dean's hand and pressed it down on top, all the while neither of them took their eyes off me. Finding the pocket knife on my night stand, I made strips from the long flimsy material that resembled a towel before I spotted my blade.

How was I going to explain this one?

Still on autopilot, I made my way to Sam and with little effort on my part, small hands and a good grip, I was able to tie the strips around him to keep the pressure on before I looked up at Dean.

"You need to get him to a hospital, he's gonna need stitches."

But Dean shook his head. "Can't do that." His voice was gruff and deep compared to Sam's and I shook my head. I should have known that would be the answer. "And we can't leave you."

"Dean, right?" I asked and watched for that little bit of acknowledgement. "I have to be in Joplin in about sixteen hours, so I'm not staying here."

"No," he said, taking my arm as I stood. He came with me, to tower over me by a little more than a foot. "I don't think you understand. Your blood is all over this place. They know your scent now."

"Vampires?" I snapped and watched him look at me in total confusion before looking at the equal shock on Sam's face as the other man made it up onto the bed. "Yeah, I know how they work."

"Wait? What do you mean you know?" Dean growled, not an unusual sound as I made my way over, picked up my knife and wiped it with what was left of the towel. "How come you're not freaking out? You're not a hunter, what exactly do you know about vampires?"

"Oh, I'm freaking out all right but Sam getting medical attention is more of an issue for me right now." I replied, grabbed my bag and pulled out a tee-shirt from it, a black one to hide the blood. Not a care in the world, I turned my back to him, stripped off the blood-soaked tee and pulled on the new one. When I turned back the shock on Dean's face was priceless. "As for the vampires, long story, but I have to go."

"You can't." Dean said and watched as I packed everything in the room. Yeah, freak out was about to happen if I had to stay in the room with the decapitated corpse any longer. Once everything was thrown in the bag, I grabbed my keys but Dean took my arm, the one that was still bleeding but numb. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you go."

"Get him to a hospital!" I snapped, snatching my arm away as I looked at the fear growing in Sam's eyes. "And don't tell me you can't."

"Listen, lady." Dean sighed.

"Vampires, scent, I get it but this is your deal, not mine." Why the hell was I arguing with him? I looked over at Sam one last time, trying to get over the fact that he looked so much like the one I knew but so much harder at the same time. "I'm sorry."

I left the room, Dean hot on my heels as Sam made his way to the door. Once at the little rented compact, I threw my back in the backseat and looked at the amount of destruction along the row of rooms. Yep, typical Sam and Dean, but it was the hand on my shoulder that made me look up again and into those intense green eyes.

"We'll follow you," He argued and I watched Sam make it to the Impala before landing hard in the seat. "You don't realize the danger you're in."

"OH, I'm sure I get it, loud and clear." But the thought of them following me, of Sam bleeding out because of the shared illusion that I needed to be saved had me shaking my head. "Fine, get me some place safe, warm and close by so I can take care of him."

"You said he needed stitches." Dean repeated.

"Yeah, ask me how I know that." I rolled my eyes and got in the car. I could almost feel the breakdown coming as Dean finally got the point, gathered everything he could from both rooms and pulled out towards the road with the Impala.

"Danni," I thought out loud, "you're never going to believe this."

With a sigh, and some shaking, I followed those taillights into the night, headed the same way I might have been going in the morning.